The present invention relates to a universal assembly and, more particularly, to a universal assembly for top and bottom latches for a panic exit door or the like.
Panic exit doors include horizontal type latches and vertical type latches. Vertical type latches include a top latch and a bottom latch, wherein the top and bottom latches include concealed type and surfaced type according to the way they are mounted. Conventionally, concealed-type top and bottom latches are different from one another and different from surfaced-type top and bottom latches that are also different from one another. U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,890 to Cohrs discloses a universal assembly including components and parts interchangeable between, for being common to, a top latch and a bottom latch in vertical-rod exit devices. Simply by adding a few discrete parts to the assembly, the same becomes, selectively, a top latch or a bottom latch. However, the resultant top and bottom latches are still too complicated and have too many different parts, leading to increased costs and assembling inconvenience.
A need exists for a universal assembly for top and bottom latches that have more common parts and less different parts.